Excel remains a cornerstone tool in financial services due to its accessibility, flexibility, and powerful data manipulation capabilities. Its intuitive interface and widespread adoption empower business users to perform complex calculations, build financial models, and easily generate reports. This accessibility fosters innovation, enabling teams to respond quickly to evolving business needs without waiting for IT
Read Full ArticleVIDEO: Transformation Tapes, Episode 1 (Data and the Next Generation Operating Model)
Join Chris Cassara and Andrew R Jacob, CFA, in Episode 1 of Meradia’s Transformation Tapes as they start their conversation and explore how data has evolved from an operational byproduct to a critical competitive lever for investment firms. At Meradia, we recognize that the most successful firms are those where data, technology, and process optimization
Read Full ArticleFIMA USA 2025 Recap with Meradia: The Year of Data Prioritization
Earlier this week, the Meradia team sponsored WBR’s premier data event, FIMA USA. The event highlighted the growing importance of data management, AI innovation, and structured data governance. As organizations continue to scale, the need for strategic planning, the onboarding or training skilled talent, and strong collaboration will remain central to the success of all data
Read Full ArticleIs Artificial Intelligence in Finance the Next Revolution or Gimmick?
“As of March 2025, Artificial Intelligence heavyweight Open AI is valued at $300 Billion. Nvidia Corp, one of the largest facilitators of AI, has surpassed Apple to become the world’s most valuable company. More than 25% of all code at Google is now AI generated.” (Channel Insider, WSJ, Fortune) Though seemingly unbelievable, these headlines are accurate and effectively
Read Full ArticleOperational Controls and Instrumentation: “How Do You Know?”
SUMMARY The financial industry is in a state of constant change and with highly complex operations, where organizations are increasingly asking themselves a fundamental question: “How do we know?” This question is at the heart of operational awareness, data integrity, and decision-making. This article explores the imperative role of operational controls and instrumentation, illustrating the
Read Full ArticleTransforming Business Glossaries to Unleash Data Value
INTRODUCTION Most firms know their data is valuable but capturing that business value can be challenging. Studies show that poor data quality costs organizations an average of $15 million per year (Gartner, Actian). Data governance tools enable employees to independently validate how to use a given field or search for potential matches for a business
Read Full ArticleApplying Machine Learning Techniques in Investment Performance: Uncovering Heuristics to Decipher Data Quality Checks
PREFACE Jose Michaelraj CIPM, CAIA, a Senior Manager at Meradia, specializes in optimizing performance operations and technology for asset managers, asset owners, and custodians. With deep expertise in modern data management techniques, Jose has reorganized performance processes, assessed attribution platforms, and developed a pattern recognizing validation tool. Jose frequently writes about bridging business needs with
Read Full ArticleThe Next Generation Operating Model: How Data, AI, and Automation Are Transforming Investment Operating Models
A Competitive Imperative for Modern Investment Organizations The modern business landscape is experiencing an unprecedented shift fueled by digital transformation, data proliferation, and artificial intelligence (AI). Organizations that fail to evolve risk obsolescence where data-driven decision-making, automation, and advanced analytics define competitive advantage. At the core of this transformation lies the Next Generation Operating Model
Read Full ArticleChange Management: Forgotten? Afterthought? Or Strategic Investment for Success?
INTRODUCTION The significance of change management cannot be overstated in today’s evolving business landscape. Do you genuinely value change management? How do you effectively drive change? What strategies do you employ to ensure success? Often, organizations miss the crucial opportunity to integrate change management at the optimal stage of their projects. When the tide of
Read Full ArticleData Architecture Evolution: Imperative…or Extinction?
As regulatory pressures continue to increase, customer expectations evolve, and competition intensifies, financial institutions are under increasing pressure to innovate and transform their operations. At the heart of this transformation is data architecture – the foundation upon which financial institutions build their businesses. Industry Challenges and Opportunities Traditional financial data architectures, built around on-premises data
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